I welcome the Minister to the House. I thank Senator Hoey for her work in preparing this important motion. I also thank her for her work at the Joint Committee on Health and in relation to health on behalf of the Labour Party, including her work in support of student nurses and other campaigns, over the past two years. I listened to some, and read more, of the testimony at the recent Joint Committee on Health meeting. Hearing that direct evidence was worrying and indeed frightening. HSE statistics show there were 5…

I will start by painting a picture of two of the many cases I want to speak about. The first case if that of the family of a young man from Newbridge. The family speaks of a loving son whose preschool teachers first raised concerns about him. The boy was granted the access and inclusion model, AIM, programme. He was due to have an assessment by teachers at the end of junior infants' class to see if there were any additional needs. When the pandemic hit, the school was closed and this assessment was delayed until se…

I thank the Minister of State. Once again, she gave an honest answer. That is the message I have got from the families I deal with. It is like what that woman said to me yesterday, that it was the first transparent answer she got after almost three years of asking. The Minister of State has given that today, albeit with the disturbing figure of 2,665 children that she has also given us. The Minister of State mentioned that is a crossroads we have to come back from urgently. I appreciate the Minister of State will p…

Absolutely.

Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 are related. Amendment No. 2 is consequential on amendment No. 1. Amendments Nos. 1 and 2 may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

I acknowledge Senator Martin for bringing this Bill forward. As has been said by my colleague, the excellent briefing we received today was most worthwhile. The speakers were knowledgeable. As always we had the excellent Noeleen Blackwell, CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Ms Jane McGowan, barrister-at-law, who outlined in great detail what was involved in this Bill. As a public representative, like many in this room, I hold clinics in my constituency. When someone sits in front of me - I said this recently …

Senator Hoey and I are sharing time, if that is okay.

I thank the Minister for coming in tonight. I want to start by putting on record our thanks to the many teachers we have in the country who go above and beyond their duties every day of the week. It is always important, as colleagues said, that we start with that and thank them for the great job they do for so many of our students throughout the country in primary, post-primary and third level education. In December last, I tabled a Commencement matter on school places in Kildare South with the Minister of State, D…

I wish to be associated with the remembrance and kind words of Senators O'Loughlin and Clonan regarding Sergeant Declan "Doc" O'Connell. We send our sympathies to his family. Doc, as he was so fondly known, played some over-35s football in Athy town during his time there. He is fondly remembered in the town. It was a shock to everybody in County Kildare when the news of his death broke in recent days. I bring to the House the story of a young girl. Her name is Slaney and she is from Athy. I met her yesterday in con…

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the House.

Amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, 10, 11, 15 to 24, inclusive, 26 to 30, inclusive, 32 to 34, inclusive, 40, 42 to 45, inclusive, 49 to 51, inclusive, 67 and 68 are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

No.

Amendments Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, and 46 to 48, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together, by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Amendments Nos. 12, 14, 25, 31, 36 and 37 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House this evening. I thank Senator Boyhan and the Independent Group for using their Private Members' time to discuss this very important matter. As was mentioned earlier, over 80% of this great country was once covered in forests. The current figure is just over 11.6%, and we have a significant target of 18% to reach by 2050. How we get near that target is an important conversation for us all to have. That is why this debate is so important. Our opinion is that it must involv…

As there are no other Senators presenting, I call Senator Boyhan to respond to the debate.

When is it proposed to sit again?

I want to raise a couple of matters with the Deputy Leader. The first is to seek a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications on the circular economy Bill which he has brought before these Houses. The reason I ask for such a debate is the unacceptable dumping that continues to blight our countryside, roads and towns and villages. Of course, great credit must go to all those involved in Tidy Towns associations and community groups that carry out such great work in all of our communities…

I welcome the Minister to the House to discuss this important Bill, which the Labour Party will support. I note, as colleagues have said, that the programme for Government includes a call for a focus on reforming our family court system to ensure that proceedings involving children are dealt with in a manner that recognises the unique vulnerability and needs of children. That is the most important aspect of that statement. Like many Members across the House, I have dealt with vulnerable families who seek assistance…

Does Senator Ruane wish to press the amendment?